Football Packs Hundreds of Holiday Boxes at Mid-Ohio Foodbank – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Buckeyes donate time, manpower in fight against hunger
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Enjoying a break from practice, the Sugar Bowl-bound Ohio State football team worked together Wednesday to tackle one of its biggest competitors to date – hunger.
Teaming with the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, the squad helped sort and pack 826 boxes of food at its Grove City headquarters to be sent out to local families in need immediately. Containing holiday staples such as stuffing mix and potatoes, each package can feed a family of four up to four days.
The Buckeyes were broken into groups according to position and arrived in 45 minute shifts throughout the afternoon.
“Giving back to the community is something Coach Tressel always emphasizes,” Bryant Browning, senior offensive lineman, said. “When you play for Ohio State you are blessed with a lot. Having a chance to give back and really help out the community and help the people who support us is really great. Times are tough, so being able to pay it back really means a lot.”
The Mid-Ohio Foodbank, which spans a 20-county area, will distribute 2 million pounds of food over the next week, and the help from the football team could not come at a better time, said Matt Habash, president and CEO of the organization.
“We are packing 15,000 additional holiday boxes,” Habash said. “The food being packed today goes out tomorrow. Hungry families will have a wonderful holiday meal because of the team’s help.”
Every day, the Mid-Ohio Foodbank supplies more than 43,000 meals to food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, after-school programs and senior housing sites across Central Ohio. Requests for food at its agencies have gone up 44 percent over the past four years. This year the Foodbank will distribute about 40 million pounds of food.
With food requests up 15 percent from last year, volunteers and donations are always welcome. For more information about volunteering, call 614-317-9703 or email volunteers@midohiofoodbank.org.
For more information, or to donate, visit www.midohiofoodbank.org.
